UFC 133 was an event that was pulled together after what seemed like week after week of announced injuries. With multiple fights changed or cancelled due to fighters getting hurt, this card seemed to have all the makings of a poor event. Instead the night was filled with devastating knockouts and action-packed fights. Now that things are over, here are a few proposals for bouts to continue the development of the prospects and contenders on the UFC roster.
Vitor Belfort vs. the loser of Brian Stann vs. Chael Sonnen
Expected to occur at UFC 136 in Houston, Stann-Sonnen is considered the fight that will decide the next number one contender for the UFC middleweight title, as Yushin Okami is set for his opportunity against champion Anderson Silva at UFC 134 in Rio. Belfort will have to wait his turn before he gets back into the number one contender’s spot.
A matchup between “the Phenom” and Sonnen would be more interesting than a bout against Stann. To begin, being matched against another Brazilian would give Sonnen enough motivation to spew some of his worst insults. As for the fight itself, it would be interesting to see if Belfort has the takedown defense to keep the fight upright long enough to allow him to unleash his dangerous hands. Though Sonnen wouldn’t want to keep this fight standing, his efforts to get close enough for the takedown would place him in harm’s way, though it is unclear how much, and for how long.
Against Stann, Belfort would likely be a favorite to win the fight. Stann has shown an interest in standing and trading with his opponents, but he would not be able to deal with Belfort’s striking ability. In what would be an exciting fight, Belfort should come out on top due to technical knockout.
Rory MacDonald vs. Josh Koscheck
Rory MacDonald continues to impress, as he decimated Mike Pyle in the first round of their matchup. Showing the ability to avoid a grappler with dangerous submissions, he stayed in Pyle’s guard and pounded him with vicious shots to bring an end to the bout in less than four minutes. Even in his defeat to Carlos Condit, MacDonald looked like an interesting prospect that would develop into a strong talent.
A stout test for “Ares” would be the returning Josh Koscheck. Koscheck, who is rumored to return to the cage this November, will be fighting for the first time since his defeat at UFC 129. With his orbital injury nearly healed, a fight with MacDonald would be a pivotal matchup in the welterweight division.
MacDonald is a crisp striker who can land blows from many different angles. And when he faced Nate Diaz, MacDonald was able to throw his opponent around the cage. However, against a wrestler of Koscheck’s ability, he would not be able to have the same success. On the feet, MacDonald would have an advantage, but I don’t see this fight staying on the feet. Ring rust could come into play, as we rarely see a competitor return from an extended layoff to perform at a high level, but Koscheck should be able to maintain top control, and secure a grinding style victory.
Johny Hendricks vs. Brian Ebersole
Both Hendricks and Ebersole were victorious at UFC 133. Hendricks fought a tough back and forth battle against Mike Pierce, while Ebersole stopped Dennis Hallman in the first round. Pairing these competitors would make for an interesting matchup at 170 pounds.
Hendricks was once a top prospect in the welterweight ranks, until he was defeated by Rick Story in 2010. Since then he has fought to climb his way back up towards the top of the division, all the while showing off a growing array of fighting techniques.
Ebersole is a MMA veteran with nearly as many wins as all the other main card winners of UFC 133 combined. After finding his way into the organization as a late replacement, and upsetting Chris Lytle at UFC 127, Ebersole has gathered a cult following, mostly due to “the hairrow.” Even still, his submission abilities and varied striking pose a threat to any fighter who overlooks him.
Looking at this bout, Hendricks would most likely try to employ his wrestling to play a game of positioning and scoring from the top. Ebersole would be active with submission attempts, but will likely not be able to catch the former NCAA national champion in a fight-ending position. Hendricks should win by unanimous decision.
Alexander Gustafsson vs. Ryan Bader
At UFC 133 Alexander Gustafsson defeated Matt Hamill, who filled in on short notice, with a vicious barrage of ground and pound. At 12-1, the 24 year old has continued to show that he is another name that should be mentioned when considering the young talent within the UFC. Matching him against Ryan Bader would provide a much needed test to see if Gustafsson should be mentioned as a possible future competitor to Jon Jones.
Bader is coming off of two sound defeats at the hands of Jon Jones and Tito Ortiz. The former collegiate wrestler is in dire need of a win, but he would be hard pressed to earn that victory in this matchup.
On the feet Gustafsson holds a strong advantage, and would be able to hurt Bader while he pursues the takedown. And even after securing it, Bader would not be able to hold down an opponent who has the ability to move into solid positions to lay down damage, as we saw Gustafsson do against Hamill. This fight should go the distance, but Bader would take a lot of damage en route to a one sided defeat.
